ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – At least 22 people were killed when a rubber boat carrying migrants sank off Turkey’s northern Aegean coast on Friday, officials said.
Governor Ilhami Aktas said Turkish coast guard personnel rescued two migrants from the sea off the coast of Eceabat town in Çanakkale province, while the other two reached the shore on their own and alerted authorities.
He said it was unclear how many people were on board the boat when it sank and the coast guard was continuing to search the area.
Aktas told the state-run Anadolu Agency that seven of the dead were infants or children.
The nationalities of the migrants were not immediately known.
The private Demiroren news agency reported that they were trying to reach the Greek island of Samothrace.
Salvini: Migrant drownings caused by ‘do-gooders’ who reopen ports and encourage smugglers https://t.co/AlAjFl8x2X
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The statement said 18 rescue ships, one plane, two helicopters and one drone took part in the search and rescue operation. Anadolu news agency said an ambulance was waiting at a nearby port.
Although their numbers have dwindled in recent years, migrants, primarily from the Middle East and Africa, often leave Turkey for Greece and Italy in search of a better life in European countries.
The Turkish coast guard said this week that it had intercepted at least 93 migrants attempting to leave Turkey’s coast by boat.
